Gold-separating machine.



Pat'nted m 7, I902.

Nb. 690,79l.

B. w. SWEET; GOLD SEPABATINE MACHINE.

(Apphcahon filed Feb 20 1699) Ali?) (No Model.)

No. 690,79l. v Patented Ian. 7,1902; B. W SWEET.

GOLD SERABAIINGWMAGHINE J Apglicationmad Feb. 20, 1899.

("0 Model.)

3 Sheets-Shoat 2.

No. 690,79l. Patented lan. 7, 1902. B. W; SWEET.

GOLD SEPARATING MAGHINE.

(Application filed Feb.20,1899.) (No Model.) 3 Shee ts' -Sheot 3.

mz unwqs PETERS c9. wo'rourua. WASNINGYON, n. c.

.ISO

' UNIT-E STATES PATENT tdrrrcii.

BENJAMIN IV. SWVEET, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO J. PLATT IUNDERWOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GOLD-SEPARATING MACHINE.

srncrricnrron forrning part of Letters Patent No. 690,791, dated January7, 1902.

Application filed February 20, 1899. Serial No. 706,212. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

complete recovery of all the valuable parts of gold-bearing ores, andparticularly to recover the very fine sulfurets which have heretoforebeen lost to a large extent.

Another object of the invention is to'separate the coarser silica fromthe fine sulfurets before the latter pass to a concentrating-table,whereby said table is relieved of operating with the coarse material andcan therefore be much closer adjusted to save the fine sulfurets; and afurther object is to disintegrate and break up the slimes by a spray ofwater, so that the silica can be more readily and effectually separated,and to submerge the fine sulfurets for the'purpose of facilitating theconcentration thereof. This is particularly important with refractoryores carrying talc, mica, schist, galena,&c. ,which produce slimes of apasty character, from which the fine particles of value cannot bereadily separated untilthe mass is loosened up.

The process consists, broadly, in concentratin g the slimes as they comefrom a batteryscreen ofa stamp-mill'to separate the heavy gold andsulfurets from the slimes, then separately amalgamating theheavy goldand the tailings,which carry with them the fine gold and sulfurets,silica, and other base material, separating the coarse silica from thefine sulfurets, and finally concentrating the latter.

As-the g01d-bearing ores come from the battery-s'creen of a stamp millthey are spread evenly and uniformly over the surface ofaconcentrating-table, which is so set that the heavy gold and sulfuretswill be discharged from the high end thereof, owing to their greaterspecific gravity and the jarring or 'jolting action of theconcentrating-table,

While the tailings,carrying with them the floatgold, fine sulfurets, andsilica, willpass off at mating-plate to remove the greater part of theheavy gold and then fall upon the surface of an amalgamating {cylinderor roll, where the separationof the free gold from the sulfurets iscompleted. The failings fallfrom the lower end of this upperconcentrating-table upon the surface of an amalgamating-cylinder, whichremoves the fine gold, and the remaining material is conveyed by acarrier to a sizing-table, which separates the coarse silica and otherbase material of a coarse grade from the finer particles,which pass onto a second or lower concentrating-table, Where the fine sulfurets aresaved. By separating the coarse material from the finer material afterthe tailings have passed the amalgamating-cylinder the secondconcentrating-table can be adjusted to operate. in a much more effectivemanner, and thereby accomplish a more complete recovery of the finerparticles of value. The sizing-table can be regulated to any grade andcharacter of material, and a stream of water is directed on thematerial, when necessary, to dissolve it, so that the fine particles ofvalue can be better separated and saved.

f I have illustrated a machine by which my improved process can becarried into effect in the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel is aside elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view.Fig. 3 is a top plan View.

Referring to the drawings, in whichlike characters of reference denotecorresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the machinaframe,in which are mounted in a suitable way'an' upper'concentratingftable B,an amalgamating-plate O, amalgamating-rolls D and E, a carrier F, asizing-table G, and a lower or reconcentrating table H.

The slimes are brought from the batteryscreen of a stamp-milland-distributed evenly and uniformly over the surface of the uppercoucentratingtable B, which is pivotally supported on the rods 1), sothat it can be vibrated in the desired manner. The concentrating-tableis operated from the shaft I by means of tappets i, carried on theshaft, and which are arranged to strike the roller '21 on the under sideof the concentrating-table at each revolution of the shaft to carry thetable backward against the action of the springs J, which in turn drawthe concentrating-table forward with a jolt as the points of the tappetspass the roller '5. The upper concentrating-table is adjusted so that avery good separation of the slimes is effected, due to the difierentspecific gravity of the ore carried thereby. The fine or float gold,with the silica and fine sulfurets, will flow down the table with thetailings, while the concentrates and the heavy gold are jolted forwardon the table and finally discharged on the amalgamatingplate C. Thescouring of the concentrates upon this table serves to remove the rustfrom the rusty gold and enables that gold to be caught and saved on theamalgamatingsurfaces, over which they are subsequently passed. As Isubject both grades of ore separately by the concentrator to anamalgamating action, I am able to so adjust the inclination of the tablethat a very complete separation of the silica from the concentrates iseffected. The concentrates are washed off of the concentrating-table bya stream of water issuing from the feed-pipe K, which distributes thewater across the upper end of the concentrating-table to carry theconcentrates over the amalgamating-plate C, from Which they fall uponthe amalgamating-rollD. The free gold in the concentratesis mainlycaught upon the amalgamating-plate O, and any remaining gold is removedfrom the concentrates by their passage over the amalgamating-roll D. Asthe water which carries the concentrates over the amalgamating-surfacesis fresh, a much cleaner amalgam is obtained than has heretofore beenusual.

The lower concentrating-table II is constructed and arrangedsubstantially in all respects similar to the upper concentrating-tableB, being pivotally supported on the rods h, so that it can be vibratedby the tappets h on the shaft L. The tappets engage a roller Z on thetable and carry the table backward against the spring Z, which in turndraws the table forward with a jolt as the points of the tappets passthe roller Z. The shafts I L are suitably geared together, one shafthaving a belt-wheel M.

The tailings fall first upon a plate N and are distributed uniformly andevenly over the surface of the amalgamating-roll E, which takes up thelarger part of the particles of gold. The tailings then fall upon thecarrier F, which is supported in the frame to convey the tailings to thesizing-screen table G. This sizing-table is supported on the pivotalrods g, and it carries a roller 9 in the path of the tappets it, so thatthe sizing-table will be drawn forward thereby against the spring 0,which returns the table with a jolt after the points of the tappets havepassed the roller g. This sizing-table is arranged directly above thelower concentrating table and beneath the discharge end of the carrier,the latter being provided with riffles f to catch any quicksilver fromthe roll E. In order to break up and disintegrate the pastyslimes,particularly of refractory ores, I provide a hose-nozzle P,connected with the water-supply pipe Q, which can be used to carry astream of fresh water into the mass on the sizing-table, therebyeffecting a more rapid and complete separation of the heavy particlesfrom the lighter. The heavy grades are discharged from the lower end ofthe sizing-table into the waste'trough R, and the finerparticles passthrough the screens of the sizing-table onto the lowerconcentrating-table. By this means the lower concentrating-table isrelieved from acting on the coarser particles, and hence it can be verycloselyadj usted to save the very fine particles of value. Thesizing-table is composed of a frame in which one or more screens of anydesired mesh are removably secured,and the construction is such that theadjustment of the sizing-table and lower concentratin g-table and themesh of the screens can be varied at will to suit diiferent conditions.The fine sulfurets are forced through the screen by the spray of water,when such action is necessary by reason of the pasty character of theslimes, and the bumping and jolting action of the table onto the lowerconcentrating table, where they are submerged in the water passingthrough the screen, whereby the separation of the fine particles ofvalue, which are discharged at the high end of the concentrating-tableinto a concentrate-box, from the waste, which flows into the trough R,will be greatly facilitated, because the fine sulfurets being submergedthe waste will largely float off the lower end of theconcentrating-table. Thesizing-screensnot only separate the coarsesilica from the fine concentrates, but they are located directly abovethe lower concentrating table, so that the screens have an unobstructeddelivery there on and from a height sufficient to cause the particles tobe submerged in the thin line of pulp on the table by the impactresulting from the fall directly thereon, and thus insure their recoveryand prevent their being washed off.

It will be understood that my improved ma chine maybe employed for thepurpose of recovering other metals besides gold and also that changes inthe form and proportions of parts may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a gold-separating machine, the combination with an inclinedconcentrating-table, and means for operating the same, ofamalgamating-surfaces at each end of said table for receiving theheavier and lighter grades respectively, a lower inclinedconcentrating-table, sizing-screens located above said lower table forseparating out the heavier grades and discharging the lighterconcentrates with a fall sufficient to submerge them on the lower table,means for operating the lower table and the screens, and means fordischarging the material passing from the amalgamating-surface whichtreats the lighter grades into the sizing-screens, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a gold-separating machine, the combination with an inclinedconcentrating-table, and means for operating the same, of anamalgamating-roll at the tail end of said table, a lower inclinedconcentrating-table,

sizing-screens located directly above the lower

